Over 35,000 rubber ducks were seized by CBP in Los Angeles for containing excess of the limit of a CPSC regulated phthalate.
Photo by U.S. Customs and Border Protection
The seized holiday rubber ducks came dressed as Santa, Snowman, Gingerbread man, Reindeer and Penguin.
Photo by U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Nearly 36,000 rubber ducks en route from China were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers because of potentially dangerous chemical levels.

Decorated ducks decked out for the holidays were snatched by specialists at Southern California ports on Dec. 4, according to Friday's CBP news release.

They arrived from China dressed as Santa, Snowman, Gingerbread man, Reindeer and Penguin, all 35,712, but their cute holiday flair did not deflect the scrutiny of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and import specialists, at the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport.

Phthalates are a group of chemicals (oily, colorless liquids) that are used among other things to make vinyl and other plastics soft and flexible.

CPSC regulation prohibits the sale, distribution or importation into the United States of any children’s toy or child care article that contains concentrations of more than 0.1 percent of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), or benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP).